Wrapping up the Lake Hill Book Launch

Margareta-Admin — Fri, 05 May 2017 07:15:00 +0000

Margareta-Admin Fri, 05/05/2017 - 5:15 pm

First up, I want to thank you for all your good wishes on the launch of LAKE HILL from the very bottom of my heart. For those of you who have bought my new book already, huge appreciation for investing your time and money in my words, and for those of you making lists for a Mother’s Day present, maybe you could suggest LAKE HILL? ;)

What an incredible night we had at the LAKE HILL Launch! IT WAS A SELL-OUT! We couldn’t fit another person in the room and I can’t even BEGIN to tell you how much fun it was. So many people, such a lovely space to gather, divine wine and pizza, books being signed and on their way to new loving homes … it was a mecca of goodness, and we all had a fantastic time. Huge thanks go to Liz and Trevor from Collins Booksellers, Sale along with Catherine & Al at Blue Gables Winery for organising it all.

Lake Hill Launch Crowd

Here’s a few photo’s of the night, where my mate and rural journalist Jeanette Severs and I had a chat. We succeeded mightily in not falling off ‘the stage’ laughing and disappearing into one of the surrounding hay bales. We discussed LAKE HILL and the inspirations behind the book, chuckled ourselves silly over sex scenes and Lee Kernaghan (Yes! It jolly well came up AGAIN! Hangs my head in shame …)

Jeanette Severs and I

The East Gippsland Field Day’s were also a huge success, with many of my Lardner Park regulars visiting the Just Books stall to get their books signed. These wonderful and supportive readers are creating ‘a signed set’ and I am starting to get to know them well. There were new babies (Carmen, so lovely to meet your gorgeous little girl), Dad’s and kids being dragged to field days kicking and screaming (so not) for their wives to get their books signed. One lovely fellow, Bill, even advised me on which cattle crush to buy. Sure enough, he was right, so if you’re reading this, Bill, I followed your advice and the crush will be delivered on Monday. Thanks so much!

From this week onwards, I’m on a lovely road trip around my home ground – Gippsland – over the next little while, plus throwing in a couple of pre-Mother’s Day book signing at two city bookstores, so it’s going to be a busy, but fun time.

We kicked off the journey in Heyfield on Wednesday where over 40 people turned up for THE most DIVINE afternoon tea and listened to me chat about the inspirations behind my new book, and how to “never say never. We only get one life. Get out there and tick your bucket list while you can.”

Next week I can be found chatting and signing books in two places. First up will be THE best café in Gippsland (in my (not so) humble opinion!), the stunning Café 3847 & Co in Rosedale, where some ideas for my café in LAKE HILL originated. You can understand how delighted I am to be holding a book launch there! This in on Wednesday night (May 10) at 7pm. Booking can be made with Andrea and Mark at the Readers Emporium, Traralgon (phone: 51764620).

On Thursday evening (May 11) from 7.30pm I will be at the Onyx Café, 61 Breed Street, Traralgon, chatting about LAKE HILL. Booking for this event can also be made with Andrea and Mark at the Readers Emporium, Traralgon (phone: 51764620).

Think, Mother’s Day treat. Think, new book to read. Think, I can get it signed by Margareta! I would adore seeing you there.

And can I just quietly add here that I was shouting with joy and dancing around in my horse paddock on Friday morning, when I received the news that despite LAKE HILL not being officially released until Monday May 1, IT HAD ALREADY GONE TO REPRINT!

OMG, the horse, dogs and chooks thought I’d gone nuts!

For those of you who have already downed the book like a delicious hot chocolate, can I ask you to post a review? That’s if you enjoyed it, I guess … ;)

Reviews at all sorts of places (LibraryThing, GoodReads or your online retailer / private blog) really help authors with their books, and we sincerely appreciate it when readers take a few minutes to comment on our work, which might encourage others to pick up LAKE HILL or any other book you have read recently and enjoyed. (Let me know via the contact page above and we'll happily link to your review as well!)

Until next week, Happy Reading!

Love and many, many thanks,

Margareta

The Inspiration Behind a New Website

Margareta-Admin — Tue, 07 Jun 2016 05:55:28 +0000

The Inspiration Behind a New Website

Margareta-Admin Tue, 07/06/2016 - 3:55 pm

We’re a pretty lucky family. Creativity abounds, be it in song, words on a page, handiwork, metal work, woodwork, jewellery making or even via the lens of a camera.

It was the images taken by our eldest son, Brent, which caused the latest creative hullabaloo. While his mother was labouring away trying to give birth to her fifth full-length novel (seventh if you count the novella’s), this lad was up on a nearby rock peak, taking photos of the sunset with his iPhone.

And what photo’s they were.

He was only gone about fifteen minutes, twenty max. The sun was rapidly sinking when he left, and this kid, who always has his eye out for a ‘good shot’, took off like a Tiger snake was after him, taking the 4X4 and hammering up the hill to take the photo which is the header for my new website.

The beauty of the image epitomises where we live here in Gippsland. The incredible splendour of the surrounding landscape; hills, rolling pastureland and the coupe de grace, Lake Glenmaggie. I can see the lake right now out my office window, the hills surround us and through the gorge created by the Macalister River, the irrigation flats are laid out like an emerald & copper shaded quilt. It’s the country you read about in my stories. And when my website manager, Karen, locked eyes with Brent’s photo’s, the synchronicity of it all, had her developing a new website before she even knew she was doing it.

Gippsland is one of the most beautiful places in Australia; possibly on earth and it is where I am lucky enough to live and write. My ancestors arrived here via Port Albert 154 years ago, trekked overland to a peg placed in the ground in the middle of nowhere where they settled the family farm. It was an impressive feat. Made more so by the fact they had to brave the waters of Bass Strait to get here, which brings me to another stunning image on the home page taken by Brent. He’s an avid surfer, our boy, and Wilson’s Promontory is one of his favourite haunts. When I saw this picture of his favoured beach, all I could say was, ‘Wow. How Gippsland is that.’

Because, you see, we are so lucky in this largely forgotten piece of country which stretches across the farthest southeastern corner of the Australian mainland. It only takes an hour or so for us to reach the beach. In winter, and another hour in the opposite direction, we’re knee deep in snow. We have the largest inland lakes system in the southern hemisphere, the second longest silt jetties in the world, RAMSAR wetlands, luscious rainforests, magnificent eucalypt covered ranges, and a climate that’s labelled Mediterranean.

And our boy captures it all via the lens on his camera.

And I capture it with words on the page.

And hopefully, you, looking at these two elements together, on my website or in person, hear the song of our land – Gippsland - in your hearts.

Gippsland

Wrapping up the Lake Hill Book Launch

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The Inspiration Behind a New Website

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